Beneath the Surface
by LucJig
Summary: What was it that TK was feeling while approaching the dark whirlpool? Was it a new evil? An old one? Plain darkness? Fear of heights? A small twist on a scene in episode 19 of 02.


_Alright…so pretty much, I couldn't comprehend the weird change in TK going from happy-cheerful mood to punch-Ken-into-oblivion mood. I wrote this as a filler._

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><p><strong>Beneath the Surface<strong>

Halsemon and Nefertimon soared over the expanse of the waters, faithfully following their friends that had gone on before them. TK and Cody had found the Emperor's base, and were trying to find a way to break in. The younger of the two had discovered a way underwater, leaving TK alone up above. As he watched from his spot on Pegasusmon, he noticed something in the water that looked imposing. He shot off a message to Kari, who read it aloud to the others.

Nefertiti said in response, "A huge whirlpool, and Cody and Submarimon are inside the base? We've got to warn them."

Kari sent her reply to TK. "Try to contact them through the D3."

On the other side, TK shook his head at his D-Terminal. "Don't you think I've tried that already?" He looked suspiciously towards the whirlpool. "Something seems to be blocking the transmission."

Tentomon grew edgy. "We can't just hover here. We've got to do something!"

Pegasusmon was feeling the same urgency. "Tentomon's right, we're running out of time!"

"Yeah." TK nodded, and then paused. "Are you guys feeling okay?"

They were flying directly above that black whirlpool now.

Tentomon replied light-heartedly, "Well, I think I might be getting a bug, but other than that, I'm fine."

Pegasusmon had a different response. "I am feeling a little strange. How about you, TK?"

An odd feeling had begun to rise up in TK, growing stronger the closer they got to that darkness. It didn't feel good, and yet it didn't hurt either. He just couldn't put a finger on it.

"I'm not really sure…" He looked over Pegasusmon' shoulder and down into the whirlpool. The blackness was unending, and as they flew closer to the middle, it grew darker and felt larger, almost as if it was drawing them down into it. TK felt a strange sensation of falling, and saw the blue of the ocean fading, darkening, and then there was a grey stone dungeon. He blinked, finding himself still sitting securely on Pegasusmon. "I…I feel…kinda weird."

There was no reply from the others right away, but they finally found the huge, mobile base. Tentomon exclaimed, "Look! It's on the move!"

"And heading for the whirlpool!" Pegasusmon interjected.

The dark waters were now one of the last things on TK's mind. "Cody!"

They followed the Emperor's base as it steadily approached the slowly swirling waters of the whirlpool. They could do nothing to get inside, as neither Pegasusmon nor Tentomon could swim deep and keep TK safe at the same time. Fortunately, the base broke out of the water as it finally reached the dark whirlpool, unhindered by the hurricane of waves crashing against it.

"That's the biggest mobile home I've ever seen!" Tentomon commented, and then added in a dry voice. "It must be impossible to find parking."

TK didn't care much for the looks. He urged the other two on. "Come on guys, we've gotta find the cave Cody and Armadillomon used to get inside. Hurry up, he might be in trouble!"

They dove down quickly in response, making their way closer, but also managing to keep out of sight. The feeling of falling and darkness and dungeons came back to TK, stronger than ever.

"…This place feels…evil." It was the only name he could place on the sensation. He looked around and noticed hundreds of shady, white figures circling the three, making high-pitched whining noises. Every way TK looked, they were there. The beings' faces were sorrowful, and their mournful voices saddening as well as frightening.

"What are those things?"

"Don't pay any attention to them. They're just trying to scare you." Pegasusmon replied coolly. "They live in the dark whirlpool and feed off fear."

TK tore his gaze away from the whining creatures, and he focused on the dark hole of pitch black beneath him. They were as deep as ever in the whirlpool, and the feeling came back again, and TK almost felt it like a blow. His chest slightly constricted, and he grasped his partner's collar with shaky hands.

Pegasusmon must have sensed the TK's discomfort, and said urgently, "Don't look at it!"

TK's breathing grew short only for a second before Tentomon hovered into place behind him on Pegasusmon, his voice whiny and shaky. "Ohhhhhh, can I sit up here with you guys?"

His attention being diverted from the black waters, TK forced himself to look at nothing but the base, and saw a black opening. "Look! This has to be the cave."

Pegasusmon dropped directly for it, and one last glance below proved too much for TK. His breath was stolen from him, and he tried to calm himself as he felt something grab his lungs and squeeze. He was winded, and groaned as he tried to catch his breath.

"TK?" Pegasusmon must have heard his gasping, and TK found himself unable to form a reply.

Tentomon had also noticed, and came hovering by. "Are you all right?"

Still, nothing came out except a little moan and TK slumped forward onto his digimon's neck.

"What's wrong? Hang on!" Pegasusmon doubled his speed for the cave, unaware that TK was making no effort to secure himself. A dull ache had begun to spread throughout his body, stiffening his limbs. The boy had gotten just enough air in to let out a weak cry as he slid off of Pegasusmon' back.

"TK!" The flying horse shouted again.

"Oh, no!" Tentomon exclaimed as he rushed to catch TK. Yet the insect digimon's hovering wasn't fast enough to catch up with the boy's decent. TK was falling face up, watching the other two try and follow him, but he was already dropping too fast. It was as if he was being pulled down, and soon the potent presence of darkness confirmed the feeling. It had coiled itself around him, drawing him into the dark. TK let out a scream as he watched the blue of the ocean fading and darkening, and then there was a grey, stone dungeon.

He sat up quickly, sucking in an unhindered lungful of air, and breathed out slowly, but shakily. He had barely noticed the transition, and his mind was still in full-fledged panic. He couldn't see more than three feet in front of him in the dark, musty room. TK scooted backwards without thinking until he hit a wall, gazing wide-eyed, certain that something was lurking just beyond his vision. And then a voice came.

"Welcome."

It was right next to his left ear, and TK jumped to the right with a yelp, backing away until he hit another wall. When the deep voice came again, it was right in front of his face.

"Where are you trying to run? There is nowhere to hide here. We see in the dark as you see in the light; and though you can't see in the dark, we can still see in the light. Our eye is always on you no matter where you go."

"What do you want?"

"Just to warn you, Takeru."

TK shuddered. Warning about what? How did the being know his full name? TK doubted even Tai knew what the nickname stood for. And now a stranger's voice comes out of the darkness that has him trapped is calling him by name, threatening him.

"You are overstepping your boundaries in meddling with the affairs of darkness. Once before you have interfered, do not do so here a second time. Three times, and your very life is forfeit. Take heed."

TK's mind had time to clear and the panic to settle, and he was fully aware of the water that began gathering around his feet, rising an inch every five seconds. He tried to keep his composure as he questioned the voice.

"Who are you?"

"We are not a single being, though there are several of us you have met. One of us you shall meet again soon if you continue on your current path. Listen to what has been said. You are hopeless to stop our mission. Do not interfere."

The water was past TK's knees now, and he felt an evil emanating from it. He shifted uneasily, and then froze against the wall as something curled around his ankles and wound uncomfortably tight. The water rose faster, past his waist. TK tried bouncing on his toes as it continued to swell, but two pairs of cold, hard hands came from either side and seized him, holding him down.

TK kept his calm, now glaring in the direction where he assumed the voice came from. What exactly was the being meaning by the threat? Would the Dark Masters be revived if he continued to fight the darkness? After all that work with the other first seven kids, the path he was on would erase it all. They would have to start over again. TK lowered his head. He didn't want that. The water splashed around his chest, and with it came that constricted feeling, tightening around his lungs and shortening his breath.

TK frowned. This wasn't right. The darkness was his enemy. He would fight it no matter what it threw back at him. He and his friends were stronger now. The Dark Masters weren't a thing to be afraid of any longer. He clenched his fists.

"I won't give in," his voice began in a growl, then rose to a shout. "NO!"

Yellow light shone out from his body as he yelled out, and every trace of darkness that had held him dispersed. The black atmosphere in the room seemed to lift somewhat, and then a cry came from above.

"Equus Beam!"

The green shoot of light penetrated the thick fog overhead and exploded in the middle of the room. Whatever beings that had remained in the dungeon with him were now gone as Pegasusmon descended into the dark room. TK ran forward and climbed onto the digimon's back, and they took off on upward to meet with Tentomon.

Pegasusmon shot a concerned glance back at his partner. "Are you going to be okay, TK?"

The boy looked down at his still shaky hands, but nodded in reply. "I'll be fine, let's go!"

The three returned to where they saw the cave in the base. TK didn't even have to tell himself not to look down this time, not because he was afraid of falling off again, but because he had finally confronted what the whole dark feeling had been about. The premonition still stayed in his mind. He knew the dark being was warning him about his infiltrating Ken's base. What evil monster would they meet in there? TK could feel something was coming.

They reached the inside and began their search, going past the engine room and reached a prison cell block. The sound of drilling reached their ears, and then they heard Digmon's voice as the noise stopped. "This one's stuck!"

A crash resonated throughout the hall.

"Oops."

TK spotted the younger boy. "Cody!"

"Hey guys," Cody replied with a smile. "I'm glad you're here. We were just setting these captive digimon free."

Tentomon liked the sound of that. "Oh? Why didn't you say so? That's my specialty!"

He drifted over to where Digmon was beginning to work on another cage.

"Super Shocker!"

As the other two drilled, TK gazed out a nearby window at the whirlpool. His heart was beginning to race. "I can just tell," he said slowly to himself. "There's something out there."

The dark of the whirlpool deepened again, and a figure rose up into view. TK's eyes widened. "Devimon?"

He heard the monster laughing in his head.

"…Impossible…" TK could only stare at the creature of his nightmares. The Emperor had to be doing something with the monster's data. He wondered what Ken could possibly be collecting it for. Despite his questions, memories of his experience with Devimon played through his mind.

"Of all the digimon that are out there, why did it have to be Devimon?" He said again to himself as the data of the digimon was consumed. He was lost in his thoughts as he lowered his eyes, thinking about that day. He saw himself, the youngest, crying out to his newly evolved partner.

"Angemon!"

Devimon's laugh rang out again.

Angemon was calm all the way though, and spoke to the boy reassuringly. "I'll get him."

"Be careful!" A little TK replied.

Devimon was still cackling gleefully. "Come here!"

"I was too young back then to know how to handle it. Too young to understand." TK was thinking out loud again. He grabbed his hat off and clenched it in his fist, throwing it to the ground as he growled, "Well that was then, and this is now!"

Cody had overheard, and turned to his friend. "You okay, TK?"

TK was still staring at where he threw his hat. Devimon was back, despite Angemon's sacrifice. So this was what that dark being was talking about. His face contorted into a glare. It didn't matter how many times Devimon came back. The job wasn't really done until the darkness is completely defeated. He took off his backpack. "Cody, I've got some unfinished business to take care of." He turned towards the dark hall, in the direction that led further into the base. "Time to get to work."

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><p><em>Well, let me know how you like it. Being this is my first fic, it's mostly experimental, trying out my writing style and seeing how you guys like it. Again, a good, constructive review would be appreciated.<em>

_FYI: I won't be using episode dialogue like this all the time._

__LJ__


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